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United Way honors work for kids

“Coats and mittens” is how the NEARI Children’s Fund started, but no one has helped it grow into the force it is today more than Fund Coordinator Val Staples.

“Coats and mittens” is how the NEARI Children’s Fund started, but no one has helped it grow into the force it is today more than Fund Coordinator Val Staples. The United Way recognized her efforts with its 2016 Dante Mollo Labor Award, honoring her at the organization’s 90th Annual Celebration October 13, along with corporate, young leader, and lifetime service awardees.

Said NEARI Vice President Val Lawson, “The Children’s Fund illustrates our commitment to educating the whole child and Val is the remarkable individual who makes this happen. She works tirelessly all year long to meet the needs of those children who are in need. Her efforts allow children across the state to receive whatever item they need or deserve to feel loved.”
Day-to-day operationsThe NEARI Children’s Fund helps needy public school students who come to school with challenges that impair their ability to learn. This could be clothing, eyeglasses, medication, school equipment, or household supplies such as food or bedding. Staples has led the Children’s Fund for 23 of her 29 years on staff at NEARI. Each year, she manages day-to-day requests from members around the state, which could involve fielding phone calls, contacting any variety of vendors, procuring gift cards or items, and arranging delivery.

…and year-to-year events

Staples manages special projects such as the holiday Gingerbread Express program, which matches approximately 2,000 students per year with anonymous donors willing to provide gifts when families cannot. She also organizes two fundraisers annually: “March Magic,” which encourages locals to design their own event, and a golf tournament every July.

In her acceptance speech, Staples said, “I am honored and humbled by this award and accept it on behalf of NEARI members who work tirelessly to ensure that our needy students do not fall through the cracks.”

Related

NEA applauds Supreme Court decision to affirm collective bargaining

An equally divided U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, affirming that public employers have a compelling interest in having strong and effective collective bargaining. The 4-4 decision leaves intact the sound law of Abood v. Detroit Board of Education that has been working for nearly four decades.

At issue in Friedrichs was whether non-union members could share the wages, benefits and protections negotiated in a collectively bargained contract without needing to pay their fair share (agency fee) for the cost of those negotiations. The case was brought by the Center for Individual Rights, an organization funded by corporate special interests that are pushing their own agenda. The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union with more than 3 million members, and the California Teachers Association, are two of the union respondents in the case in addition to the state of California.

“The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected a political ploy to silence public employees like teachers, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, higher education faculty and other educators to work together to shape their profession,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “In Friedrichs, the court saw through the political attacks on the workplace rights of teachers, educators and other public employees. This decision recognizes that stripping public employees of their voices in the workplace is not what our country needs.”

The Friedrichs case provided a vivid illustration of what’s at stake when it comes to the highest court in the land. It also was an example of how corporations are using the Supreme Court for political agendas rather than what the court was intended: interpreting and upholding the Constitution.

How members spent their summer

August 31, 2016 - From fundraising to training, NEARI members worked this summer for the benefit of educators and students.

No Child Left Behind is left behind

Thanks to members' unprecedented, year-long advocacy on behalf of students, the era of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) finally ended when President Obama signed the Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA) December 10. Students and educators lived with the unintended consequences of the failed NCLB for more than 14 years, including an over-emphasis on standardized testing.

Continuing to advocate for an effective law, more than 9,000 NEA members submitted comments this summer on the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed regulations on accountability under ESSA, far more than any other single group. Now it’s time to submit comments on the proposed regulations on another provision of ESSA: “supplement not supplant,” which requires federal dollars to add to, not replace, state and local dollars. Comparing expenditures among schools tells us little about the resource needs of the students in those schools—what matters is sufficient funding, equitably distributed, to ensure that every student has access to meaningful opportunities to learn. The comment period on “supplement not supplant” ends November 7. Check out the proposed regulations, and then submit your comments.

ESSA furthers all three of NEA's core goals:

Creating an opportunity "dashboard" to help ensure equity and opportunity for all students

Reducing the amount of standardized testing and decoupling test scores and high-stakes decision making

NEA President Lily Eskelsen García

"This new law is a well-deserved victory for our nation because the Every Student Succeeds Act will create greater opportunity for every student regardless of ZIP Code.

"Now our work begins in earnest as we shift our attention toward implementation. We look forward to working closely with state and local policymakers, as well as other key stakeholders, to raise our voice to deliver on the promise of ESSA and to provide opportunity for all students."

NEARI President Larry Purtill

"ESSA returns decision-making for our nation's education back where it belongs - in the hands of local educators, parents and communities - while keeping the focus on students most in need.

"Educators will have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions that affect their students and classrooms. This legislation begins to close the opportunity gaps for students by providing a new system that includes an 'opportunity dashboard' with indicators of school success and student support. It reduces the amount of standardized testing in schools so students have more time to develop critical thinking while educators do what they love — teach.

"Senators Reed and Whitehouse, and Congressmen Langevin and Ciccilline have always advocated for educators and students. We thank them for their support in passing this important bill."

NEA President reacts to Betsy DeVos nomination for Education Secretary

WASHINGTON - On November 23, 2016, the Trump administration announced its plan to nominate Betsy DeVos, best known for her anti-public education campaigns, for the position of Secretary of Education. The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Lily Eskelsen García:

“Every day, educators use their voice to advocate for every student to reach his or her full potential. We believe that the chance for the success of a child should not depend on winning a charter lottery, being accepted by a private school, or living in the right ZIP code. We have, and will continue, to fight for all students to have a great public school in their community and the opportunity to succeed no matter their backgrounds or circumstances.

“Betsy DeVos has consistently worked against these values, and her efforts over the years have done more to undermine public education than support students. She has lobbied for failed schemes, like vouchers — which take away funding and local control from our public schools — to fund private schools at taxpayers’ expense. These schemes do nothing to help our most-vulnerable students while they ignore or exacerbate glaring opportunity gaps. She has consistently pushed a corporate agenda to privatize, de-professionalize and impose cookie-cutter solutions to public education. By nominating Betsy DeVos, the Trump administration has demonstrated just how out of touch it is with what works best for students, parents, educators and communities.

“The National Education Association advocates for investing in smart strategies that we know help to improve the success of all our students, including creating more opportunities and equity for students, classes small enough for one-on-one attention, modern textbooks and a well-rounded curriculum for every student. We also know that the voices of educators — those who know the names of the students they educate — should always be present at the table when making decisions that impact student success. Educators will continue to focus on raising their voices in support of their students and against any effort by the Trump administration to undermine the educational opportunity of all public school students.”

Educators urge Congress to end NCLB

NCLB - No Child Left Behind - is the federal education law that has imposed unrealistic mandates on states for the last 14 years. Specifically, its "test, blame, and punish" approach tied federal education aid into standardized test performance. Now, thanks to members' activism, both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are poised to make significant improvements.

There stands an excellent chance that by the new year, President Obama will have signed a new, vastly improved national education law – the seventh reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Ending NCLB and replacing it with a law that focuses on opportunity for all students is a goal that NEA has been focused on throughout the process.

In July, both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives passed ESEA reauthorizations – the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA) and the Student Success Act (SSA), respectively. The two bills are similar in some ways and different in others. It is these differences that Senate and House education committee staff and leaders are ironing out to produce a joint, bipartisan ESEA bill that President Obama can sign into law.

Specifically, NEA believes that the final bill should:

Mandate that states accountability plans include key supports so that all students have a chance to learn.

Reduce the amount of standardized testing in schools and decouple high-stakes decision-making and statewide standardized tests.

Ensure educator voice in decision making at all levels of government.

The Senate, in particular, addressed all these key issues. Unfortunately, the current House version includes so-called "Title I Portability," which permits federal funding for disadvantaged children to "follow" students to a public school of their choice (essentially a backdoor to vouchers), which NEA strongly opposes. Read more about the voucher expansion.

Nothing is certain with Congress – bills can be easily derailed – but the finish line for ESEA reauthorization is in sight, and educators and parents have been urging lawmakers to stay focused and deliver a new law. In early November, a coalition of ten leading education and parent organizations, including the NEA, launched a digital campaign urging Congress to "get ESEA done."

Our Rhode Island Congressional delegation - Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, and Rep. Jim Langevin and David Cicciline - has been 100 percent in agreement with NEA's position, and has been working to achieve a new ESEA. Thank them for their efforts on behalf of all students.

Computer upgrades will slow state retirement system

Retirees as well as active workers may experience online delays from May 9 to June 6, while the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI) undergoes an upgrade to a modern technology platform designed to deliver better customer service.

What the new system will do:

Allow for future integration between the ERSRI and TIAA (the defined contribution plan) websites.

Enhance the benefit estimate tool and offer easier navigation.

What to expect from May 9-June 6:

Address changes will not be accepted on the website; instead, download, print and mail the the "change of information form, or notify your employer of the change.